stone enhancer before or after grouting?

15 years ago

Hello,

We are installing our tumbled marble backsplash this weekend. The can of enhancer says that a new install should cure for 4 - 5 days before applying the enhancer/sealer. It doesn't mention the grout, however.

Could someone out there please let me know if we are supposed grout before or after the enhancer/sealer?

If I had only my logic to rely upon, I'd say we should grout it after we enhance it so that the sealer could prevent the stones from absorbing the moisture from the grout. The installer (not his day job) says we should enhance & seal after the grout goes in so that the grout gets sealed, too. Now, I'm wondering if we should do the first coat before the grout and the second coat after the grout...... just to make everybody happy.

TIA!

Sandra

PS: How do you make text bold or italicized?

Featured Answer

bill_vincent

15 years ago

I already answered this in the bathrooms forum, but for the sake of those who might do a search later, being that this is a DIY, I'd agree-- enhance it before you grout. As for allowing the 4-5 days, that refers to sealing AFTER grouting. If you're just sealing the stone, you should be able to do so within 24- 36 hours.

Now that it is grouted I need to seal the grout and I was thinking maybe I could just seal the whole thing, but I'm worried about changing the grout color because it is a color enhancing sealer. I don't know.

Jim-- what you can do is use a standard penetrating sealer right over everything. Let me ask you what is the specific product you used to enhance yout tile?

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Comments (6)

Jim Peschke
15 years ago
I've kind of had the same problem. We sealed and enhanced before installing. The directions said to do this. Now that it is grouted I need to seal the grout and I was thinking maybe I could just seal the whole thing, but I'm worried about changing the grout color because it is a color enhancing sealer. I don't know.

I will tell you this with regard to sealing in advance: If you do seal/enhance before installing and grouting make sure that you do not get the sealer on the edges of the tile (the part where the grout sticks). You want the grout to stick and a sealer can make it stick less well. Moisture from the grout is not an issue at all as far as I know with regard to the stone itself. Hopefully we will both get an answer about how long it should be before you seal the grout.

- Jim
sam_b
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks so much for your input, Jim!

I wasn't actually thinking about sealing the stones prior to installation; I was going to wait the 4-5 days before sealing.... but now you've started me thinking in new directions. We did a sample piece and it dries really quickly. Maybe I could get up early tomorrow and seal it all before the installer comes. He could do the back foyer floor while it's drying.

I'm really glad you gave your advice about not getting sealer on the grout-sides of the tiles. I was thinking the exact opposite! I didn't think about adhesion. I just thought that if the marble absorbed the moisture from the grout, it might crack/crumble fairly soon.

I too hope a definitive answer comes through soon. I should have considered all this long before now.

Good luck with your project. My guess (which isn't likely worth much) is that the sealer will slightly darken your grout. You probably wouldn't need too much grout sealer for the job... Is there one on the market that is not an enhancer as well (water-based, not solvent based) and therefore might allow your grout to remain its intended colour?

Sandra
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vineyard
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Our tile guy enhanced/sealed our stone after grout. This was for floors and shower walls in travertine, marble and onyx. The enhancer darkened the travertine and the grout at the same time, and a second coat does make it noticeably darker than the first coat. We went with a grout color that matched the unenhanced travertine, so the end result was what we were looking for...we love it!!!

Aloha,
Leilani

P.S. To "bold" text, put the letter B between before and after the text you'd like in bold. To "italicize" text, use the letter I instead of B. :)
starfish24
15 years ago
You might want to ask this on the bathroom forum -- lots of tile experience there.
sam_b
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the advice! The installers are just coming in the door now, so no time to lose! I don't even have the grout yet..... gotta scoot out now to get it and I'm so glad about your advice to match the unsealed tiles and then enhance/seal everything. It's all making perfect sense now. I'll also post this in the bathroom section as suggested... just in case someone replies within the next hour or two.

Thanks again! This site is awesome!
Sandra

stone enhancer before or after grouting?

bill_vincent

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stone enhancer before or after grouting?

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Jim Peschke

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